When traveling in Spain, it is impossible not to visit the capital of Andalusia - the oldest city of Seville.
Seville is located on both banks of the majestic Guadalquivir River. This is a peculiar, very beautiful city, where the most exciting bullfighting takes place and where you can hear and see the most passionate flamenco. The city captivates with its medieval narrow streets, houses with snow-white walls and indispensable patios.
Her story left its mark on Seville: during its existence for almost two and a half thousand years, it belonged to the Iberians, Romans, Goths, Arabs, until in the 13th century it passed into the hands of the Spanish kings.
Each time, being attacked by different conquerors, the city of Seville was influenced by their culture, which affected the architecture of its structures. Seville has the charm of antiquity.
The pearl among the attractions of this city is the palace complex of Seville Alcazar. It is a true cultural value of Spain.
Historical facts
It is known from history that it was originally a Moors fort - a fortress that was created to defend against the siege of enemies. The construction was constantly reconstructed in order to improve and grew more and more. It is known that the building was called Al-Muwarraq.
Until now, the exterior of the palace has been preserved, which was created on the ruins of an Arab fortress for King Pedro the First Cruel in 1364. The king liked the style of the Moorish buildings, so the Seville Alcazar keeps traces of this style.
Since then, this palace (more precisely, a complex of palaces, since subsequent rulers expanded and supplemented the layout and architecture of the structure) has been the seat of the Spanish kings for 700 years. And today, some of the halls use it for ceremonial receptions.
Features of buildings
In the guise of Alcazar, Gothic and Mudejar architecture are combined. It captivates the eye of a tourist who inspects the amazingly beautiful palace rooms.
To build Alcazar in Seville, King Pedro the First ordered the removal of the remains of the ruins of Arab buildings from Granada and Toledo, as well as the captive Muslims, who created this miracle of architecture. Subsequent rulers made buildings, but not so grandiose: Queen Isabella the First and King Charles the Fifth erected new structures.
The Seville Alcazar, which is a complex architectural ensemble, surprises with a combination of harmony and integrity with a special sophistication of arabesques.
The patio, chambers and even the gardens of the palace keep a memory of the events of history taking place in the country, and of the people involved in these events.
The Palace of the Spanish Kings Alcazar is located in the center of Seville in Triunfo Square. The Alcazar is smaller than the Alhambra complex in Granada, but the decoration of its walls, ceilings and floors is recognized as a masterpiece of beauty and sophistication. To explore all the halls, chambers, courtyards, patios and extensive gardens, the tourist needs to devote this whole day.
Where to start exploring the Alcazar?
For those who wish to immerse themselves in the history of the city of Seville, the Royal Alcazar is a real find. Tourists can enter the palace through the Lion Gate (Puerta del Leon). They are not difficult to see, since the walls of the gates are painted in bright red color, and the
coat of arms with a lion is shown at the top
. First, tourists enter the Lion's Courtyard (Patio del Leon), then, turning right, head to the Hall of Justice (Sala del Justisia). It will be followed by the Plaster Yard (Patio del Yeso). This is a long room, which is a garden, rectangular in shape. It contains flower beds, as well as the remains of the buildings of an ancient fortress, which was built under the ruler of the Arab dynasty Almohad.
The next object of inspection will be the Hunting Courtyard (Patio del Monteria). Here in the old days I was going to know - the retinue of the king, to accompany him on a hunt.
The facade of the palace of King Pedro the First (Palasio Don Pedro), facing the courtyard, is an example of the Arab architectural style of Mudejar and, without a doubt, is recognized as a masterpiece. This facade was erected by the best Moorish craftsmen from Granada, which was presented by the ruler Mohammed V to King Pedro the First as a sign of respect and gratitude for military assistance. If you carefully look at the decorated walls with inscriptions, you can see not only the name of the architect and the year the facade was erected, but also an Arabic engraving on the entrance arch “There is no winner except Allah.”
Hall of Ambassadors (Salon del Embajadores)
It was the throne room of King Pedro the First. It impresses with its wall decoration. The bottom panel is decorated with tiles of amazing beauty, which is created by ornaments that converge into various geometric shapes, curls and patterns. The walls above the panel are decorated with stucco with patterns and inscriptions in Arabic with a predominance of gold and red. The ceiling of the hall is made of wood with skillfully executed starry sky - a symbol of the universe.
Maid of honor (Patio de las Donselleas)
This courtyard was the most famous and popular in the palace. Its architecture is elegant and airy. Thin columns are very beautiful, skillful carving of arcades, in the center there is a fountain. From the upper tier it was possible to observe how receptions or meetings take place.
Puppet Yard (Patio de las Munecas) is considered the most exquisite. Here were the living rooms of the royal family. It is called so because of the image of two small dolls on one of the arches. Tourists visiting the bedrooms of kings and princes.
Next to the palace of Pedro the First are the chambers of King Charles V. They attract attention with their tapestries and tiles. Gothic style dominates the architecture.
In Alcazar, there are places associated with the history of the reconquista, with the colonial era of the country, with the development of new sea routes. Tourists visiting the rooms of the admiral. Once in them, Queen Isabella of Castile signed a decree establishing the Casa de Contratasion, which is responsible for trade relations with the New World.
Audience Hall. In it, kings arranged meetings with sailors and explorers of overseas territories, including Christopher Columbus and Fernand Magellan. In this hall, tourists are amazed at the ceiling with picturesque paintings and gilding, as well as the walls with the arms of all the admirals of Spain.
Next to this hall is a chapel, which contains a wonderful painting "Madonna, the patroness of seafarers." The painting depicts the Madonna, who covers her sailors with her veil. It is easy to see on the canvas of Christopher Columbus and Amerigo Vespucci.
Alcazar Gardens
The Alcazar Gardens deserve special attention, they are located on terraces. They reign calm, silence and tranquility, which contributes to relaxation and unhurried thought.
This beautiful park is divided into separate gardens, each under its own name: Garden of Mercury, Big Garden, Garden of the Marquise de la Vega Inclan, Garden of the Cross, Garden of Troy, Orange Grove, Flower Garden, Garden of Poets, Labyrinth, etc.
These gardens were created in ancient times by the Arabs, then they changed over time. Now they can distinguish between different styles - Moorish, Gothic, Baroque, Renaissance. Extraordinarily beautiful is one of the many gazebos called "King's Arbor." Attracts the attention of tourists and the underground bath.
Many types of plants grow in the gardens, about 170 or so. Some of them were brought from other countries and are therefore considered exotic for these places. Everything is fascinating in the gardens: fountains, beautiful ponds, many sculptures and air saturated with the aroma of flowers and trees. Peacocks pace the lawns.
The Seville Alcazar for a long time leaves in memory the luxury and grace of the chambers and the sensation of the aroma of magnificent gardens.
Mysterious Seville
A tour to Spain from St. Petersburg costs about 70,000 rubles. The price includes accommodation, flight and even several excursions. But even if the tour does not involve a visit to Seville, you should definitely go there yourself. Do not forget that legends are also associated with Seville, known to everyone who does not neglect reading books. For example, local residents will show you the building of the university and tell you that once it housed a tobacco factory, where the beautiful Carmen worked, sung by Prosper Merime. And on the banks of the Guadalquivir there is still the palace of Signor Miguel de Maniero, who is considered the prototype of the most famous lover in the world - Don Juan.
Tourist Memo
Reminder for those who come to Seville without a tour package: Alcazar Palace in Seville is located at Patio Banderas, s / n 41004, Sevilla, Espana.
You can visit the complex of Alcazar palaces:
In the period from October to March - from 9:30 to 18:00.
In the period from April to September - from 9:39 to 20:00.
Exit - an hour before the end of the working day of the Alcazar Palace (Seville). Hours of the complex allow you to visit it with virtually no time limits.
How to get there
If you want to get to Alcazar from the railway station, you need to go out onto Avenida Kansas street, take bus number 28, get off at the last stop and walk to Alcazar.
A simpler option is to book a tour to Spain from St. Petersburg, which includes a visit to Alcazar.